A Life in a Day
by sapplejack
Summary: Diary entries by three characters: Nagi, Uriko and Kenji. They write about their problems and hardships that come their way during the course of their lives
1. Uriko

Uriko

Today is probably going to be one of the most boring and dreadful days of the year. It's the start of a new school day. It's going to be so much fun!

I don't think so! Normally, teens my age would be excited to go to school to see their friends the first thing in the morning. Not, unfortunately, me. I'd rather have a little lie in. Sometimes I'd stay in bed waaaayyy past noon and won't come down until it's time for lunch. Unless mom's cooking one of my all time favourite meals: kamaboko in a sweet sauce or Kauai shrimp. I could eat a dozen of those and still have room for more. My sister Alice doesn't fancy meat though. She's made a vow to go vegan after one time, we were watching a nature program and we saw this poor antelope get ripped to shreds by a huge lioness. Ever since then, Alice has refrained from eating any meat which she now calls 'pieces of dead flesh'. "Being a vegetarian is actually a lot healthier than most people think. You could try it sometime." She'd always say to me. I'd just tease back at her and make references to her rabbit beast form and she would blush and snap "That's not the point." To which I'd want to know, what is?

Actually, you're probably wondering who this girl is getting carried away and going on about her life like it's what normal people do. I don't really feel like describing in long paragraphs about myself so, I'll make a list instead. I like making lists!

Name: Nonomura Uriko

Age: 17 (more like in 5 months!)

Hobbies: Practicing kenpo and spending time with my mom

Favourite food: Kamaboko

Favourite colors: White, blue and pink

Favourite cartoons: Sailor Moon, Doraemon and Shin-chan!

Favourite season: Spring

Anyway, today is the first day of school as it usually is for any student at the beginning of the year. Racing down the corridor, I try to find my class in a rush as I'm already late. As I'm walking towards my homeroom, (which I finally found at last) our very old and strict headmistress Mrs Sakura stops me and says "Running late again, I presume Ms Nonomura. I'll have you know that skipping or running in the corridors is forbidden even with the excuse of being late to your respective class." Oh God! It's only been the first day of school and she's already on the warpath. Why can't these old bags _get a life?_ I thought sakura blossoms were supposed to be pretty, but Mrs Sakura isn't pretty, she is old and ugly and smells like lavender bath salts. You see, THIS is the reason why the first days of school are always the worst. I voiced my distaste for it on the phone to Kenji a few nights ago though I think he actually _likes s_chool. It wouldn't be surprising as he usually does well in his studies and pretty much works himself up every time there's an exam coming. He thinks that studying till the crack of dawn is going to help him get to a good college and then to uni _and then_ a good job where he can make enough money to one day pay back what Yugo has done for him all these years. It's a bit silly if you ask me, but that is what he wants to do and I'd support him all the way.

"So you think school's a drag?" asked Kenji on one end of the line

"Well duh. 6 hours there just to listen a bunch of old hags blather on about nothing" I answered on the other end

"They're not blathering on about nothing. That information is essential for you if you want a bright future."

"I wish I didn't have to keep studying. I still have one more year to go and I'll finally be free. Oh! I wonder what I should be. Maybe a vet or a kindergarten teacher. Yeah! I like the idea of taking care of cute little animals or kids."

"I hope you are able to make the right decision. You wouldn't want a job like Nagi's. Having to run around, chasing criminals and bringing them in all day."

"Hmmmm...I guess not."

Nagi has been working as a policewoman for the past year now. She goes around hunting bad guys with a cool looking gun and all. She doesn't just hunt criminals, she also has to do daily police-like things like keeping people safe, helping a cat down from a tree and loads of other stuff. Unlike most of my friends, I didn't meet Nagi until Kenji introduced her to me. I guess being the VP of the W.O.C, Kenji knew a lot of people and Nagi happened to be one of them. At first, I thought she was one of those moody types of people but once you get to know her, she's really fun to hang out with. I got to know about her more one day when both of us were left in the meeting room of the W.O.C building as Alice had to sort out some documents and didn't want me interfering so she left me in there while Nagi was waiting for Yugo as she needed to report an important incident that she witnessed. I was sitting there next to her and started to feel bored because I didn't really know her that well and she also didn't seem to want to be bothered. My colorful set of felt tips were in my schoolbag and I had some paper too so I started to do a doodle of Nagi, looking very cool with black shades on and long, long legs that went on forever and ended in a pair of leather boots. I added highlights in her hair and gave her a skull tattoo with a Celtic design all over it. Next to her, I drew myself in cat form, with a thin looking tail and a small stature. As I was finishing my drawing, Nagi had leaned over to take a look and nearly scared me to death.

"Cool drawing. So you have a cat as your beast form?" she said.

She was actually interested! "Um well..." I said

"You know, the world is getting boring and dull nowadays, not to mention unsafe with the violence and all. Looking at your drawing kind of made me smile a little, you know. You look cute in there."

Ever since then, she wanted know what I thought about the relationship between humans and zoanthropes and everyday life. She seemed so mature I thought she was just pulling my leg the whole time and would tell me one day that she was planning it all along and leave me at that. She did no such thing and as time went by, I found I was quite enjoying our conversations every week we met at the building. (Alice decided to work a little late each Saturday and Nagi was already an active member of the W.O.C) I started telling her about my life and I even trusted her enough to tell her about that certain incident that happened eight years ago with Tylon. She listened to every word and never scoffed or laughed at anything I said. I had made my mind up that I wanted her to be my friend and invited her one day to come over for tea. Mom had prepared a lot of food and at first when she came, mom didn't think much of her but when we sat at the table and begun discussing stuff, she started on about her views in society and about her life. She told us about a cousin she has that could play the piano with his feet. "No kidding!" she said. Everything she said was funny and interesting and we were all in stitches by the time it was dark. When she left, mom turned to me and said "I guess you've got another friend to add to your list." I have loads of friends but usually, when _mom_ agrees, that means she's warmed up and truly trusts them by then. Nagi's been a good friend since then and I usually go out with her around town when she's not working or when I'm not at school or drowning in homework.

As I'm thinking about all this, I had reached my classroom and taken a step in. Everyone turned to look in my direction and I just stupidly stood there, wondering what they were staring at. It was then that a thought struck me: I was the last one to get to class! "Ms Nonomura it has been the start of the school year and you're already late. I dread to think what would happen to your grades if you continue to go on like this. Now, hurry up and take a seat. Class is about to begin." Mr Yamamoto looked at me with his beady little eyes as I nervously glanced around to try to find Kenji. I spotted him sitting at the front as he turned around to wave at me. Plopping down next to him, I whispered "What lesson are we having now?" "Maths" he replied. UGH. I should have known. He gave me a reassuring smile and I could not wait till break to be able to talk to him. The rest of the lesson went on with a drag, what with Mr Yamamoto going on about equations and angles and such. I couldn't pay attention and decided not to, since I didn't really know anything that he was saying. Kenji, however, scribbled note upon note and frequently raised his hand whenever a question was asked.

After maths, we had history. We were paired up for an assignment that was going to be graded. I finally had some time to talk to Kenji but he told me that he had something exciting he wanted to tell me. I didn't really trust him as his idea of 'exciting' is usually watching paint dry or reading some thick, fat poetry book. By then, our history teacher told us to BE QUIET so I couldn't ask him about it. It was so boring not being able to do anything else, so I tore out a page from my note book and started to draw myself. I didn't like just drawing an ordinary portrait of my face so I added some flowers growing on my head with their little entrails creeping all over my hair and down, down my face. I wanted to look peaceful so I drew myself with my eyes closed, blocking everything else from the outside and being in my own special world without having to put up with school and the endless ramblings of a teacher. Of course, I'd still want Kenji to be with me. He is my friend. We could be in our own worlds together, flying high up in the sky. Yugo and Alice would be able to see us from below and they'd look like tiny little ants from up above. I looked at Kenji and wished more than anything we could stay best friends. I have this secret worry that one day, Kenji will go away to another place and forget me. I pondered over it all throughout the holidays. If he left, I wouldn't have anyone to talk to. At least, not one of our kind. Even though a lot of my other friends weren't zoanthropes they were still really nice but I guess I felt that I had a stronger bond with him. I'm worrying myself too much over this! Kenji isn't going to go anywhere. He had his family and friends, not to mention school! I silently scolded myself for thinking such things and proceeded to finish my drawing. About halfway through, the pen I was using ran out of ink. I scribbled something on the side and only a little ink had scathed the paper. I gave up and kept the drawing in my bag and sat there quietly minding my own business. I looked forward to hearing what Kenji wanted to tell me as I sat there and spent the rest of history class daydreaming and guessing what his exciting news was.


	2. Kenji

Kenji

Dear diary, today was the start of a new school semester. I awoke from my slumber by the incessant jolting of my shoulder by my non-blood related brother, Yugo. He yelled that breakfast was ready and I should be on my way to school by then. I replied that said institution does not open its doors to students until half past seven. Unless, at least a minority of students or teachers choose to enter early on their own account, the former being unlikely...

All right, I see that I am explaining all this badly. All I am saying basically is, fuck this.

I very much need to work on my language. Not the swearing, but what Uriko calls 'alien language'. I don't see how the way I speak seems to irritate her. I felt like telling her that I am not a sesquipedalian! Or so I think so. She says I speak and say things too formerly. I have since taken her word into account and am currently trying to casually dumb down my words for the better of others. Hmmmm... I know. I should try to rephrase what I had said earlier except using words people can better understand.

Let's see... Oh yes! I was awoken by Yugo giving me a hard shake to the shoulder and telling me to 'get my ass downstairs or I'd be late for school' "And on the first day to!" he said. He seemed to think that it was easy being a student. He has no idea what it's like to be at school at a godforsaken hour trying to 'study your ass off' and only to get a 'well done' or 'good job' by the teachers who, apparently don't give a care for our education.

Did I fool anyone? I bet I did! I was actually Uriko who said those things. Yugo may be unencumbered, but I certainly don't hate school. I think it is important for us to get to know things during the course of our youth. Oh shit. I mean, darn, I've started to talk like that again! I really need to stop picking up words from Yugo from now on.

Anyways, just to please Yugo, I ran about 3 miles (I think) all the way to school even though there was a perfectly functional bus waiting for me at the bus stop. Why do I always forget? It's like having the urge to dig at a nice, moist, wet patch of soil and unearth all those thick, fat, juicy worms and

Okay, that sounded a little creepy. But it had nothing to do with my beast form whatsoever. Maybe. WHY CAN'T I FOCUS TODAY. It may have something to do with something that I have been dreaming for all my life. Well, the last eight years of it. I've worked so hard for it. I took exams, I attended cram school, I even had to beg Yugo to fork out some extra cash for my tuitions. What I'm talking about is getting an application to a great college which I've set my eyes on the minute I started middle school. Even though I'm still sixteen, my teacher allowed me to skip a few grades so that I'm able to take the exams. And now that I've taken them AND received my results (after waiting for _ages_) I can't wait to go! I was a bit nervous about opening the letter at first in case I didn't make it, but when I found out, that was it. I was over the moon. I don't think I could have waited to tell Uriko. If I didn't stop myself on time, I would have told her straight away while we were on the phone a few nights ago. I plan to tell her during break time as I don't think I can hold it in longer than that. I'm writing this just after getting to my seat. Uriko still isn't here. She's probably going to be late as usual. Or she might still be sleeping. I once read that cats can sleep up to twelve hours a day. I'm not sure if Uriko counts as a real cat, but she certainly has the qualities of one.

I've known Uriko for quite a while now. Ever since our encounter while I was with the ZLF, she seems to have latched on to me, intent on trying to make friends. To be honest, I guess I thought she was a _teeny bit _annoying at first but, I got used to it as it was just Uriko being herself. I think Yugo encouraged her quite a lot and kept inviting her over so that we could do some 'studying together'. I knew it was just big brother talk for 'get a girlfriend' but I still went along with it. I actually like Uriko a lot. She is kind of funny and cute in her own way. I don't know why, but I always get this fuzzy feeling in my tummy when I'm doing something with her. Just in case you're wondering, I am NOT talking about kissing or anything of the sort. Sure, I've done it with a few guys while I was going through a phase when I was still pretty little (which I think spawned after accidently, ACCIDENTLY watching some of Yugo's favourite videos), but never with a _girl_ before. Uriko's done it heaps of times. It's not that she's a kissogram of some sort, but more of a boy magnet. She can't help it. Though she usually shoves them away as she really doesn't care for them most of the time. Actually, to be honest I'm a bit scared she might not like me anymore one day. I'd say I am quite small and irritating. I can't imagine what Yugo must have gone through while raising me. I always got on my old Master's nerves when I was still working with Tylon. I guess I used to be super annoying as he is usually so calm.

Uriko doesn't think that does she? I mean, of course she is allowed to think things as she is her own person, but I would still feel bad. I don't want to anger her. I've never really had many friends growing up. It was always missions and endless killings that I couldn't take it anymore and tried to run away. Master caught me then and said that I was a disgrace to my kind and didn't speak to me for a month. Oh dear, I think I may have cried buckets back then. I was already six but I used to cry a lot. When the brainwashing started to wear off I'd suddenly think about my parents and how I deeply wished I still had them. I don't remember much about myself and my family before that though I somehow remember I hated my dad. He'd always come home late and make mom upset all the time. That, I think is the oldest thing I _can_ remember. Everything else just seems so foggy.

When we were still only thirteen, me and Uriko would joke and dream about whether or not we were going to have any boyfriends or girlfriends. I never took it seriously as I was pretty occupied with my studies. Nonetheless, I still played along with Uriko and discussed things like how do people get into (or out of) relationships, how people kissed and other mind boggling things one would think about at that age. Since then, Uriko has picked up loads of boys while number of girls I have picked up are zilch. But it's okay, I don't really mind. As long as I have my friends, I'm pretty content with it.

I think I see Uriko now. I'm right about her being late. It is now already eight thirty! I dread to thik what she had to go through if she bumped into Mrs Sakura, our headmistress. Uriko thinks she is an old nag which, I agree. I normally like most staff at this school except maybe, the maintenance man or the janitor though I am not sure if they even count as proper staff. They use to yell at me and call me a punk just because (I think) of my hair! I can't help it if it's spiky and sticks up all over the place. I once tried to straighten my hair using Alice's hair straightener. I didn't want to ask her if I could use it cause it would mean having to tell her about it and I didn't want her to get any ideas or think I was gay or anything – which I _might or might not_ have been then – so I locked myself in the bathroom and started trying it out. I think I may have done it the wrong way as my hair ended up very limp and as straight as a stick for about a whole year. It DID look really good on me even if I did get mistaken for a girl a number of times unless I was in my uniform. All of a sudden, it just sprang back to life a few weeks before I was to compete at that tournament thing. Sad, but I since then I try not to think about looks and focus more on my studies.

I shall have to write in here later as our history teacher has given us an important assignment and I intend to do well. I hope Uriko would be okay about me telling her that I'm going to college soon. I don't want it to upset her.


End file.
